Franchise Notes

In Ft. Lauderdale, Ira Winderman notes the Heat's partial-season ticket plans for '15-16 feature "pricing tiers" for select opponents. Two games against the Cavaliers are "listed in the 'Inferno' pricing range." Those are the only two games "priced on the plan in that highest-tiered range." The next-highest pricing range "is listed as 'Blazing,' which includes the Christmas Day game" against the Pelicans, the New Year's Day game against the Mavericks and the "lone visit of the season" by the Warriors. The middle pricing tier, "denoted as 'Spicy,' includes opening night" against the Hornets, as well as the "only visits of the season" by the Bulls, Thunder, Spurs and Lakers. All other opponents "are listed in the two lowest-priced tiers" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 8/18).

CAPITOL CONCERNS: In Sacramento, Tony Bizjak notes the NBA Kings and USL club Sacramento Republic FC "have launched a social media campaign called 'Fix My Ride 916' to help and politely push the Sacramento Regional Transit District to improve its service, image and relationship with the public." Officials from both clubs said that the campaign "will give riders and nonriders a forum to post comments, questions, gripes, ideas, photos and videos." The teams are among the business and downtown leaders "wanting to see a stronger transit system by October 2016, when a downtown arena is scheduled to open" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/18).

HORSING AROUND: DIGIDAY's Garett Sloane noted the Colts "became the first NFL team to promote on Kik over the weekend, launching a new campaign that could reach hundreds of thousands of teenagers." The app "competes with messaging services like WhatsApp, Line and Snapchat." Kik has "already been selling Promoted Chats for the past year, ad products that help brands accumulate followers and talk with them." The Colts’ "marketing push includes a mobile Web destination for Colts fans to chat among themselves during games and follow the team" (DIGIDAY.com, 8/17).

HERDING CATS: In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg notes the NFL Panthers through early last week had seen "more than 56,000 fans" attend camp practices at Wofford College. Meanwhile, Panthers Chief Revenue Officer Phil Youtsey said that the club is "on track to extend its sellout streak to 135 games" at Bank of America Stadium (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/14 issue).